20 May 2010

Stiffing the Bookie

crumpled taffeta
lies in piles—
capitulated caparisons
in patterns of light
across the bookie’s purse—
a tincture of risk
(rendered futile with glitch)

in the buff she bows and
pours three shots of 80 proof Smirnoff

two - tinctured with death

later she dresses,
catches her own eye
in the mirrored wall,
and grins, sapient homo sapien

pocketing the purse,
she doffs her bowler
at that dead
fondling fool,
body already
starting
to cool

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shout out to all the poets at Big Tent Poetry who provided the words for the wordle. This piece was fun to write. In some form, every word from the wordle shows up in Stiffing the Bookie.

Thanks everyone! I'm glad you all like this piece. @Vivienne-The murderess wore taffeta.@Nicole-Woo hoo! I left your with a chill. Thanks for that..it makes me feel successful.:)@Cynthia,Pamela & Vivienne...I teach school...my plan for the summer is to work with some of the characters from a few pieces, and see if I can't write a short story or two. Your encouragement helps! (School's out June 4th!!)@Derrick-Yeah, she's nasty, but she just might have a reason or two. (hmmm... maybe I'll explore that further.)@briarcat-I am a hat person. My bowler is a favorite...however, I've never murdered someone and then doffed it toward them. :)

@Mary- I studied the words in the wordle, first...but it did come fast with little editing. I think that's what keeps me writing, those moments when the words give voice to themselves and amaze me. @Ana, I always think of taffeta as crumpled somehow...it must be uncomfortable, and is definitely not in my closet! But, yeah, an assasine (as you say)who wears taffeta. I like it, too.Thanks tumblewords for tumbling some words my way. When I see your pic in my comments, I smile. You look so dadburned friendly! :)